2 Samuel 13:19

KJV

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that [was] on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Tamar {H8559} put {H3947} ashes {H665} on her head {H7218}, and rent {H7167} her garment {H3801} of divers colours {H6446} that was on her, and laid {H7760} her hand {H3027} on her head {H7218}, and went {H3212} on {H1980} crying {H2199}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.

Berean Standard Bible

And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying bitterly.

American Standard Version

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
This verse vividly portrays the immediate, devastating reaction of Tamar following her violation by Amnon. Her actions—donning ashes, tearing her distinctive royal garment, laying her hand on her head, and crying continuously—are a profound, public expression of her overwhelming grief, shame, and the irreparable loss of her honor and status within the royal family. It marks a pivotal moment where her private trauma becomes a public lament, exposing the deep brokenness and injustice within David's household.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** 2 Samuel 13:19 is the immediate aftermath of Amnon's horrific act of sexual violence against his half-sister, Tamar, as detailed in [2 Samuel 13:1-14](/2_samuel/13-1 "2 Samuel 13:1-14 - Amnon's Scheme and Violation of Tamar"). The preceding verses describe Amnon's deceitful plot, aided by Jonadab, to lure Tamar into his private chambers under the pretense of illness. This verse serves as a stark transition from the private, hidden sin to Tamar's public, visceral display of her shattered state. It sets the stage for Amnon's subsequent cruel rejection of her ([2 Samuel 13:15-17](/2_samuel/13-15 "2 Samuel 13:15-17 - Amnon's Rejection of Tamar")), Tamar's encounter with her brother Absalom ([2 Samuel 13:20](/2_samuel/13-20 "2 Samuel 13:20 - Absalom Comforts Tamar")), and ultimately, Absalom's vengeful plot against Amnon, culminating in his murder ([2 Samuel 13:28-29](/2_samuel/13-28 "2 Samuel 13:28-29 - Absalom Murders Amnon")). This verse is a crucial turning point, highlighting the devastating personal and familial consequences of Amnon's sin, which ripple throughout the rest of David's reign.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel and the broader ancient Near East, a woman's virginity was paramount, especially for a princess. It was inextricably linked to her honor, her family's honor, and her prospects for marriage and social standing. Sexual violation, particularly of a virgin, was not merely a personal affront but a profound public disgrace that brought shame upon the entire family. The actions described in this verse—putting ashes on the head, tearing one's garment, and crying aloud—were universally recognized and deeply symbolic expressions of extreme grief, mourning, lamentation, and public humiliation. These were not merely emotional outbursts but established cultural rituals performed to signify profound distress, often in response to death, disaster, or overwhelming personal tragedy. For a royal princess to engage in such public displays underscored the magnitude of the injustice and her utter desolation.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of 2 Samuel and the broader Deuteronomistic History. Firstly, it underscores the **devastating consequences of sin and unchecked lust**, particularly within David's own family, foreshadowing the unraveling of his kingdom. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **injustice and the suffering of the innocent**, as Tamar, a blameless victim, bears the full weight of Amnon's transgression. Her actions embody **profound grief and lament**, showcasing the Bible's unflinching portrayal of human suffering and trauma. The specific mention of the "garment of divers colours" also introduces the theme of **loss of status and identity**, as the destruction of this symbolic garment mirrors the destruction of Tamar's purity and future. This incident is a stark illustration of the moral decay within David's household, a direct result of his own past sins and a failure to administer justice, as seen in his passive reaction to the news of Tamar's violation in [2 Samuel 13:21](/2_samuel/13-21 "2 Samuel 13:21 - David's Anger and Inaction").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Ashes (Hebrew, _'epher'_):** The act of putting ashes on one's head was a deeply symbolic and widely practiced ritual in the ancient Near East, signifying profound grief, mourning, humility, repentance, and self-abasement. It was a visible sign of utter desolation and distress, often associated with a sense of defilement or loss. For Tamar, it was a public declaration of her shattered state and the defilement she had endured.
* **Rent (Hebrew, _qara'_):** To "rent" or tear one's garment was another common and powerful expression of extreme sorrow, shock, or indignation. It was a spontaneous, visceral reaction to news of death, disaster, or profound personal tragedy. The tearing of Tamar's specific garment amplified the symbolic weight of this act, indicating not just grief but also the violent tearing apart of her life and honor.
* **Garment of divers colours (Hebrew, _kethoneth passim'_):** This specific phrase is highly significant. It is the same Hebrew term used to describe Joseph's "coat of many colours" in [Genesis 37:3](/genesis/37-3 "Genesis 37:3 - Joseph's Special Coat"). While its exact appearance is debated (perhaps a long robe with sleeves, or one with ornamental stripes), its significance lies in its association with favored children, royalty, or, in this context, a virgin princess of high status. For Tamar, it symbolized her purity, her royal standing, and perhaps her protected status as an unmarried daughter. Its violent tearing was therefore a potent symbol of the tearing apart of her innocence, her honor, and her future.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Tamar put ashes on her head":** This action immediately communicates Tamar's overwhelming grief and humiliation. It is a public, ritualistic act of mourning, signifying that she considers herself utterly defiled and broken, as if in a state of death or deep catastrophe. It is a visible cry for recognition of her suffering.
* **"and rent her garment of divers colours that [was] on her":** This is perhaps the most poignant action. The destruction of her distinctive royal garment, a symbol of her virginity, status, and honor, visually represents the violent destruction of her purity and future. It is a powerful, non-verbal scream of protest against the injustice and the irreparable damage inflicted upon her identity.
* **"and laid her hand on her head":** This gesture, often seen in biblical lament, signifies deep despair, distress, and helplessness. It can be a posture of utter defeat, a sign of being overwhelmed by sorrow, or a gesture of self-affliction in profound mourning. It underscores her complete vulnerability and the crushing weight of her trauma.
* **"and went on crying":** The continuous nature of her crying ("went on crying") emphasizes the sustained agony and profound, unceasing nature of her grief. It is not a momentary outburst but an ongoing lament, a public wail that demands attention and acknowledges the depth of her trauma and despair, signifying that her pain is not fleeting but deeply ingrained.

#### Literary Devices
The verse is rich in **Symbolism**, where each action carries profound meaning beyond its literal performance. The **ashes** symbolize mourning, humiliation, and defilement. The **torn garment** is a potent symbol of shattered honor, lost virginity, and the violent destruction of her identity and future. The specific "garment of divers colours" is an **allusion** to Joseph's coat, subtly linking Tamar's betrayal and suffering to the earlier patriarchal narratives of family dysfunction and injustice. The vivid imagery evokes strong **pathos**, drawing the reader into Tamar's profound suffering and eliciting empathy. The phrase "went on crying" employs **repetition** or **durative aspect** to emphasize the continuous and overwhelming nature of her grief, creating a sense of sustained agony and despair. The entire scene is a powerful piece of **visual imagery**, painting a clear and heartbreaking picture of a soul in utter distress.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Tamar's profound display of grief and shame in 2 Samuel 13:19 serves as a stark reminder of the devastating, far-reaching consequences of sin, particularly sexual violence, within a community and family. The Bible, in its unflinching realism, does not shy away from portraying the raw agony of victims, highlighting the deep spiritual and emotional wounds inflicted by injustice. Her lament underscores a recurring biblical theme: the cries of the oppressed and the suffering of the innocent often go unheard by human authorities, yet they are always heard by God. This verse challenges believers to confront the reality of trauma and injustice, fostering empathy for those who suffer and recognizing the importance of lament as a legitimate form of spiritual expression. It also implicitly points to the brokenness of humanity and the pervasive nature of sin, even within the most privileged households, necessitating a divine intervention for true justice and healing.

* [Job 2:12](/job/2-12 "Job 2:12 - Job's Friends Mourn with Him")
* [Genesis 37:34](/genesis/37-34 "Genesis 37:34 - Jacob Tears His Clothes for Joseph")
* [Lamentations 1:1-2](/lamentations/1-1 "Lamentations 1:1-2 - Jerusalem's Desolation and Grief")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Tamar's actions in this verse are a visceral, unfiltered portrayal of a soul in agony. Her public display of grief forces us to confront the horrific reality of sexual violence and its devastating impact on victims. It reminds us that the Bible is not a sanitized text but one that unflinchingly reveals the darkest aspects of human sin and suffering. For us today, Tamar's story calls us to cultivate profound empathy for those who have experienced trauma and injustice, particularly those whose voices have been silenced or whose pain has been dismissed. It challenges us to create communities—especially within the church—where victims feel safe to express their grief, where their pain is acknowledged, and where justice is actively pursued. Furthermore, it serves as a sobering reminder of the insidious nature of unchecked sin and the importance of accountability, even among those in positions of power. We are called not only to mourn with those who mourn but also to actively work towards preventing such atrocities and supporting survivors in their journey toward healing and restoration.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Tamar's public display of grief challenge our understanding of suffering and lament in the Bible?**
* **What responsibility do we, as individuals and as a community of faith, have to acknowledge and respond to the pain of victims of injustice?**
* **In what ways can the church become a safer and more supportive space for those who have experienced trauma and profound loss?**
* **What lessons does Tamar's story offer about the long-term consequences of unchecked sin and the failure to administer justice within families and communities?**

### FAQ
**Why is the "garment of divers colours" so significant in this verse?**

Answer: The "garment of divers colours" (Hebrew: *kethoneth passim*) is highly significant because it was a special, distinctive robe, likely indicating Tamar's royal status, her virginity, and her favored position as a princess. It is the same term used for Joseph's coat in [Genesis 37:3](/genesis/37-3 "Genesis 37:3 - Joseph's Coat of Many Colors"), which symbolized his father's favor and his unique status among his brothers. For Tamar, its tearing was not just the destruction of a piece of clothing but a profound symbolic act representing the violent tearing apart of her purity, her honor, her social standing, and her future prospects, making her defilement a public and irreversible reality.

**What did the actions of putting ashes on her head and tearing her garment signify in ancient culture?**

Answer: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Israel, putting ashes on one's head and tearing one's garment were deeply ingrained and universally understood rituals of extreme mourning, grief, and humiliation. These actions were performed in response to death, national disaster, or profound personal tragedy. Putting ashes on the head symbolized deep sorrow, repentance, self-abasement, and a sense of defilement or desolation. Tearing one's clothes, often from the neck down, was a spontaneous and powerful expression of shock, indignation, or overwhelming grief. Together, these acts communicated a state of utter despair, public shame, and an appeal for recognition of one's suffering, as seen in other biblical accounts of mourning like [Job 2:12](/job/2-12 "Job 2:12 - Job's Friends Mourn").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Tamar's agonizing display of grief and shame in 2 Samuel 13:19, marked by ashes, torn garments, and unceasing lament, finds profound resonance in the Christ-centered narrative of redemption. While Tamar was a victim of human depravity, left to bear her shame and brokenness publicly, Jesus Christ, the ultimate innocent victim, willingly bore the shame and suffering of all humanity. He is the true "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" ([Isaiah 53:3](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - The Suffering Servant")), who took upon Himself the defilement and disgrace that rightfully belonged to us, enduring the ultimate public humiliation on the cross. Where Tamar's lament was a cry of despair in a world of injustice, Christ's suffering was a redemptive act that conquered sin and its devastating effects. He came not only to heal the brokenhearted but to identify with the marginalized and the traumatized, knowing their pain intimately because He Himself suffered ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")). Through His sacrifice, the shame that defiles is removed, and the tears of the oppressed will ultimately be wiped away by God Himself ([Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "Revelation 21:4 - No More Tears")). Tamar's story, therefore, points to the profound need for a Savior who can not only empathize with our deepest wounds but also bring true justice, healing, and restoration where human systems have failed, transforming ashes into beauty and mourning into joy.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 2:37

Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

Joshua 7:6

¶ And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

2 Samuel 1:11

¶ Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that [were] with him:

2 Samuel 1:2

It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

1 Samuel 4:12

¶ And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

Job 42:6

Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.

Job 2:12

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.